Each morning before my son left for school we sat down to a healthy breakfast. Whether it was in a chair at the kitchen table or on more hectic days, a stool at the kitchen counter, (all the while making his lunch and quizzing him for the dreaded spelling test) it was a time to be nourished. It was important to me that he begin his day eyes wide open, mind engaged, heart and stomach full. Every parent wants to raise healthy happy children. Having enough nutritious food to eat every day should not be a luxury, unfortunately, for millions of children in the United States of America, our youngest generation is not getting enough to eat. Hunger not only affects a child’s health and well being, it affects his or her academic achievement. It’s difficult to excel in school when you can’t hear what the teacher is saying over the constant rumbling growls of your own stomach.

The No Kid Hungry Campaign is a solution to putting an end to childhood hunger in this country by providing the resources and education necessary for families to help their children get the nutritional food they need to flourish. There are several ways you can be part of this solution such as attending a culinary event in your area, having a bake sale or simply by dining out. For more information, on this program visit NoKidHungry

I will be dining at my local Romano’s Macaroni Grill for two reasons: for each blog post written by me or my fellow food bloggers, Macaroni Grill has agreed to donate $50.00, helping connect kids to up to 500 meals. Additionally, every time #macgrillgive is used on Twitter or Instagram, Macaroni Grill helps to connect one meal to a child in need.

Each time you eat at Macaroni Grill from now until September 30th and donate to the No Kid Hungry Campaign, (added to your dining bill) for every $2.00 you donate, you will receive a $5.00 coupon to be used on a subsequent visit (redeemable until October 7, 2012). This is a generous offer, don’t you think?

The other reason for my patronage is that my son worked there while he attended the University of Arizona. He really enjoyed the bustling family-friendly atmosphere, the customers, many who were regulars of this Italian establishment and his fellow co-workers.

Thank you for being part of the solution, together we can stop childhood hunger in America by providing nutritious food for every child … every day!